British Skier Files Appeal

Published 8:00 pm, Thursday, April 11, 2002

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Friday it had received an appeal from British skier Alain Baxter who was stripped of his Olympic bronze medal after a positive drug test.

The case likely will take about four months to complete, said the court in a statement. Baxter will have the right to address a hearing, as will representatives of the International Olympic Committee.

Baxter said Thursday he would lodge the appeal in a bid to clear his name and get his medal back.

The 28-year-old Scot tested positive for the banned stimulant methamphetamine after his surprise third-place finish in the slalom on Feb. 23. He was the first British skier to win an Olympic medal.

After an investigation, the IOC announced last month that Baxter was guilty of a doping offense and had been disqualified and stripped of his medal.

Baxter contends the positive test was an innocent mistake resulting from his use of an over-the-counter nasal decongestant. The product sold in the United States contains a mild form of methamphetamine, while the British version does not.